Industry is consistently moving away from wood and metal structural members and panels, particularly in the vehicle manufacturing industry. Such wood and metal structural members and panels have high weight to strength ratios. In other words, the higher the strength of the wood and metal structural members and panels, the higher the weight. The resulting demand for alternative material structural members and panels has, thus, risen proportionately. Because of their low weight to strength ratios, as well as their corrosion resistance, such non-metallic panels have become particularly useful as structural members in the vehicle manufacturing industry as well as office structures industry, for example.
Often such non-metallic materials are in the form of composite structures or panels which are moldable into three-dimensional shapes for use in any variety of purposes. It would, thus, be beneficial to provide a composite material structure that has high strength using oriented and/or non-oriented fibers with bonding agents having compatible chemistries to provide a strong bond across the composite's layers. It would be further beneficial to provide a manufacturing and finish coating process for such structures in some embodiments.
It will be appreciated that the prior art includes many types of laminated composite panels and manufacturing processes for the same. U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,253, filed on Mar. 30, 1984, entitled High Impact Strength Fiber Resin Matrix Composites, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,804, filed on May 22, 1990, entitled Interleaf Layer Fiber Reinforced Resin Laminate Composites, U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,206 B1, filed on Sep. 14, 1998, entitled Composite Honeycomb Sandwich Panel for Fixed Leading Edges, U.S. Pat. No. 5,708,925, filed on May 10, 1996, entitled Multi-Layered Panel Having a Core Including Natural Fibers and Method of Producing the Same, U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,947, filed Oct. 5, 1981, entitled Laminated Composite Structure and Method of Manufacture, U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,087, filed on Mar. 13, 1992, entitled Method of Making a Composite Structure, U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,903, filed on Sep. 16, 1993, entitled Automotive Headliner Panel and Method of Making Same, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,583, filed on Nov. 14, 1991, entitled Method of and Apparatus for Continuously Fabricating Laminates, U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,847, filed on May 6, 1983, entitled Method for the Continuous Production of Laminates, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,256, filed on May 17, 1994, entitled Method of Making a Headliner and the Like, are all incorporated herein by reference to establish the nature and characteristics of such laminated composite panels and manufacturing processes herein.
Accordingly, the following disclosure provides a laminated composite material which comprises first and second layers. The first layer comprises a fibrous material and a binder, and the second layer comprises a woven material and a binder. The fibers of the fibrous material of the first layer are randomly oriented. The composite material is formed such that the binders in both the fibrous material and the woven material adhere to bond the first and second layers together.
Illustrative embodiments may further provide the fibrous material being hemp; the fibrous material being kenaf; the fibrous material comprising hemp and kenaf; the fibrous material comprising about 50 weight percent hemp and 50 weight percent kenaf, the first layer comprising about 25 weight percent hemp, about 25 weight percent kenaf and 50 weight percent the binder; the binder being a thermomelt binder; the binder being polypropylene; the first layer comprising about 24.75 weight percent hemp, about 24.75 weight percent kenaf, about 50 weight percent polypropylene binder material and about 0.05 maleic anhydride; the woven material being a woven glass; the woven material being chosen from a group consisting of nylon, Kevlar and fleece; other fibrous materials that can be used are flax and jute; comprising a third layer comprising a fibrous material and a binder wherein the third layer is bonded to the second layer; comprising a fourth layer comprising a woven material and a binder wherein the fourth layer is bonded to the third layer; comprising a fifth layer comprising a fibrous material and a binder wherein the fifth layer is bonded to the fourth layer; and comprising a fascia layer applied to the first layer.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a laminated composite material which, too, comprises first and second layers. In addition, this embodiment further comprises a third layer. The first layer, again, comprises a fibrous material and a binder wherein fibers are randomly oriented. The second layer is located adjacent the first layer and comprises a fleece material and a binder. The third layer, located adjacent the second layer, comprises glass fiber and a binder. The composite material is formed such that the binders in the first, second, and third layers adhere to bond the same together.
Illustrative embodiments may provide the fleece comprising polyester; the fleece comprising nylon; the binder comprising polypropylene; the binder comprising polypropylene; the fleece being made from a high-temperature melt material, and the binder being made from a low-temperature melt material; the fleece comprising about 25 weight percent polyester and about 25 weight percent polypropylene; the fleece comprising about 20 weight percent polyester and about 80 weight percent polypropylene; the glass fiber layer comprising maleic anhydride; and the binder comprising polypropylene.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a laminated composite material also comprising first, second, and third layers. The first layer has opposed first and second surfaces and comprises a fibrous material and a binder. The fibers of the fibrous material of the first layer are randomly oriented in the binder. The second layer is located adjacent the first surface of the first layer, and the second layer comprises a fleece material in a binder. The third layer is located adjacent the second surface of the first layer, and comprises a fleece material in a binder.
Illustrative embodiments may provide the fleece comprising polyester; the fleece comprising nylon; the binder comprising polypropylene; the fleece being made from a high-temperature melt material and the binder being made from a low-temperature melt material; and the fleece comprising about 50 weight percent polyester and about 50 weight percent polypropylene; and the fleece comprising about 20 weight percent polyester and about 80 weight percent polypropylene.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides a composite material comprising a panel and coating layer. The panel has a surface and comprises a fibrous material and a binder. In addition, the surface of the panel is calendared. The coating layer is applied to the calendared surface of the panel and UV cured.
Illustrative embodiments may provide the UV cured coating being an adhesion promoter; a UV cured top coat that is applied to the adhesion promoter; a UV cured primer coat that is applied to the adhesion promoter; and a UV cured top coat that is applied to the primer coat.
Additional features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out such embodiments as presently perceived.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates several embodiments, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure in any manner.